Of Gods and Monsters
by klavscaroline
Summary: "The gods have no mercy, that's why they're gods" That was, until he met her. In which Klaus is the God of Death and one day, a mortal soul trespasses into the Underworld in search of her mother.
1. To Bargain With Death Part I

**(A/N):** Welcome to my obsession with mythology. I still haven't decided whether I want to make this a series of different mythologies, or have this as a stand-alone short story. I estimate that this one will be around 3-4 chapters, but I've been known to write more than I anticipate depending on how well it's received.

**Disclaimer:** Quote is from Game of Thrones, and characters are from the TVD/TO Universe, neither in which I own.

_\- Based **loosely** on Hades/Persephone -_

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**To Bargain with Death**

"_The gods have no mercy, that's why they're gods" _That was, until he met her.

\- part i -

Sometimes he wondered what it would be like to blend into the crowds up above. To leave the sanctuary that was his palace and into the civilisation he watched build from nothing. Whilst this thought did not come across him often, in these moments of solitude, he allowed his mind to wander.

He had lived for thousands, if not millions of years. Somewhere along the way, he stopped counting, for what was the point? He was indestructible and the oldest being in the world, save for his brothers and sister, and it didn't take long for him to realise that he also had the power to choose who lived and who died, and he made sure that every creature on earth had an expiry date. He, who controlled life, he decided, was the true power.

And in this power, he relished.

His siblings did not agree with his ways and for the better part of his life, he had sent himself into self-imposed exile in the Underworld, where no one can enter without his permission, and where no one can threaten his power.

In here, endless souls of the dead pass through his gates, as he watched from his throne room. Old or young. Diseased or accidental. They all entered his Kingdom the same way: through the gates, await for trial, and sent to Elysium or one of the nine circles of Hell where they will live out the rest of eternity.

For every moment in his immortal life, he could hear the screams and cries of the souls trapped in an eternal torture, but there was no mercy in the Underworld. There was no repentance of sins, no way to right your wrongs, it is what it is. Mercy was not how he became the most powerful God there is. That was, until he met her.

"May the Gods have mercy on me," he heard a whisper in the distance. It was clear, crisp and angelic, the kind of voice that contrasted the mutterings and groans of the dead.

It piqued his interest as he hadn't heard such a lively voice since his time in the Underworld, but at the same time, he was angered at the thought that a living soul had dared enter his domain.

Swiftly, he used his powers of apparition to appear by the doorway that separated the living and the dead. Two tall structures made of onyx and gold, and a veil of mist were the only physical things to come between the two. Yet, every living soul feared it, as there was only one way in and no way out.

He appeared behind her, and the first thing that caught his eye was her bright blonde, wavy hair that dangled to her waist, and the small flowers interwoven into her half-braid. He scrunched up his nose as he found the smell of nature all too offending and unfamiliar, and he was about to call upon his army of the dead to take her to a prison cell for her audaciousness when she turned around.

_A Goddess_, that was his first thought when she looked at him with her electric blue eyes. But from the way he heard her heart pound at the sight of him, it was clear that she was merely a human. A mortal human, weak and unimaginably insignificant to the vast Universe. But God, was she beautiful.

He must have stared for moments too long, as she began to back away from him, growing weary of the cosmic power radiating from his body, as his bident glowed in his hand.

"Stop," his command echoed within the endless abyss of darkness, "Who dares to trespass my territory?"

He would've thought her defiant from the slight upward tilt of her head if not for the fear in her eyes, as she responded with a steady voice, "My name is Caroline, maiden of the Goddess Rebekah, and I'm here to seek for my mother's soul. She was taken from me unfairly and I am here to beg for mercy from you, Lord Niklaus"

"My sister would never take a human as a maiden in court," he scoffed incredulously.

"That is true, I am her only human subject in court, but I have been blessed with the honour when she saw the rose garden that I had built with my mother during one of her outings"

"She always had been easily distracted by pretty, little things," he commented whilst his eyes settled on her.

"I will not speak ill of Lady Rebekah and I will not hear for it. She has always praised you for being a caring brother in your earlier years, and she was the one who permitted me to enter the Underworld to seek for your mercy"

"If she knew me at all, she would know that mercy is not in my character"

"She suspected so, but she hoped that you would remember the person you were before you became the God of Death"

"If you truly believe that, you must be a fool"

"Perhaps I may be a fool, but I am a desperate one. Please, at least allow me to say goodbye to my mother. She was taken from me so suddenly that I was not able to return in time to say my last words," Caroline confessed, recalling the story of how a gang of thieves had robbed her poor mother in the marketplace and left her for dead.

"There is only one way," he said ominously.

"I will do anything," she pleaded.

"The only way you will pass these gates is death"

She gasped at the thought of never returning to the world she loved and cherished. Her mother had always reminded her of the gift of life and how she should never let it go to waste. It felt as though she was dishonouring her memory by giving into death, but at the same time, she missed her so much and what wouldn't she give to see her one last time?

She could barely register that her eyes were glistening with unshed tears as she approached the ultimatum.

"If I die," she whispered, "Would you trade my soul for hers?"

He looked at her in shock as no one had dared bargain with Death before.

"A soul for a soul," he pondered, "You would do that for her?"

"I would do anything," she repeated, with more confidence in her tone than she felt in reality.

"Very well, I shall consider your offer," he said, intrigued by her proposal, but yet, he knew he couldn't make such hasty decisions, no matter how much she enraptured him, "For now, come with me"

Cautiously, she followed his lead, her eyes maintaining on her feet as she avoided the pits and cracks of the rocks that made up the ground. When they reached a certain point where they stood at the edge of a cliff that descended into nothingness, he gripped her hand tightly and she felt gravity leave her for a moment before they landed on their feet once more. This time, when she looked up, she stood in front of a black mansion that glistened from the fire that surrounded them.

He wasn't sure why he brought her to his palace, but he had always trusted his instinct. He didn't want to leave her amongst the endless dead souls awaiting trial, nor did she belong in any other place in his Kingdom. He felt the need to keep her safe from the monsters that lurked in the Underworld and though she did not appear to be a warrior even in her own world, she was utterly defenceless down here.

"What is this place?" She marvelled at the sheer grandeur of the palace. Though it was dark, there was a certain beauty about it.

"This," he replied, stepping into the fortress "is my home"

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**(A/N)** I'm keeping this short to test the water. If it's not enjoyable, this could also work as a one-shot (i think), but if you liked it and would want me to continue, please let me know and I'll start working on it asap.

I mean, if you loved it or hated it, let me know either way!

Or if there are any other mythologies you would like me to explore, I'm open to suggestions (no promises, because I'm more comfortable and familiar with Greek mythology than others)


	2. To Bargain With Death Part II

**(A/N)** Thank you very much to everyone who had reviewed, favourited or followed this story. It means a lot that people are enjoying it and it motivated me to write this chapter immediately. In this chapter, you get more insight into Caroline's past.

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**To Bargain with Death**

\- part ii -

It was a popular misconception that nothing blossomed in the Underworld, but he was a God and he, too, liked to indulge in the many sweet nectars from above ground. Some may say his garden was rather impressive, spanning over acres of land, but over years of neglect, it had dwindled into a small patch just below his bedroom window.

It shouldn't have surprised him when the human had asked for his permission to tend his garden. For what? He didn't ask, but he had a feeling it was to be in touch with the lands she left behind four days ago when she entered his domain. Before he had time to consider, his mouth opened and blurted a solid yes, and he watched as her smile widened and she all but skipped towards the fields with a bucket of water and a shovel in hand.

Yes, she had been down here for four days, and he hadn't reached a decision regarding her deal. He knew she was anxious but she never once shown an inkling of impatience.

In fact, they had hardly seen each other since he brought her to his palace. He had a duty as the God of the Underworld to oversee the trials that occurred during the day, and by the time he was home, she would be fast asleep.

But today was different, when he had gotten back, she was still in the garden, surrounded by his hounds. He had initially been panicked, after all, his hounds were known to be vicious. But just as he was about to whistle for his pets to retreat, he heard a giggle.

"Good boy!" Caroline praised, holding out an orange for one of the black hounds to savour.

Realising that she was not in imminent danger, he had returned to his bedroom with the black orb he had taken from the trial room.

Orbs were memories of a soul's life on Earth and during each trial, he would review their actions to decide whether they belonged in Elysium or one of the circles of Hell. Hundreds of souls passed judgment every day and this particular one, just like the millions of others he had seen, had not been memorable.

He held the orb in his hand and allowed himself to concentrate on the images swirling inside the glass sphere.

_The first memory showed a man and woman in an old house holding a little baby. _

"_Elizabeth," the woman said, "That will be her name"_

_The next few scenes flashed by quickly depicting her as a playful child, before showing a teenage Elizabeth meeting a man named William Forbes._

_They had married in a simple ceremony in a town known as Mystic Falls, and it was evident that she was well into her pregnancy._

_The newlyweds were once again in the same house, but this time, with a little baby of their own, who wore a knitted hat with the name Caroline sewn onto it. _

It was here that he began to pay more attention.

_The child was angelic. It was easy to be enraptured by her chubby cheeks and her curly blonde hair. Even from a young age, Caroline loved the nature and he supposed that was what humans did when they grew up with very little. _

_She was doted on by everyone, but particularly her mother, who taught her to care for flowers and fruit trees, and the two often spent time praying to his sister, Rebekah, for a season of good blossoming. It wasn't before long when the two had grown the most beautiful garden he had ever seen. _

_Then, the image turned smoky grey when he saw the beginnings of a crumbling marriage. As a God, he was no stranger to paramours, but it was clear that the humans did not operate that way. The blonde girl, who was currently playing catch with his hounds, must not have been more than ten years old when she crumbled to the floor alongside her mother as they watched her father leave the family. _

_Tears marred her porcelain skin and there was nothing he wanted more than to reach into the orb and take her pain away. _

_But there was nothing he could do about the past._

_The next scene was of a sunny day when another blonde entered the vision. It must have been about five or six years since the last memory but the years have not been kind to Elizabeth, who became the sole provider for her small family._

_He immediately recognised his sister, Rebekah, with her signature floral crown, and saw as she marvelled at the beauty of the garden. _

"_Lady Rebekah," he saw as Elizabeth nervously kneeled before the Goddess, "It is my honour"_

"_Are you responsible for this garden?" Rebekah asked._

"_Much of it is from my daughter, Caroline," she replied._

"_And where is this Caroline that you speak of?"_

_Moments later, the girl in question was presented in front of his sister. Though she was not a goddess herself, her beauty had rivalled one. _

"_It is my greatest honour to meet you, Lady Rebekah," Caroline said earnestly, as she kneeled._

"_I have heard your prayers and I have come to see your garden myself. My ladies in court tell me that it is a wonderful sight, and they are not wrong. Tell me, how is it that you do it?"_

"_I have always been a curious girl and I found myself experimenting with different ways of gardening. I realised that wood ash helps them grow, and ever since then, my mother and I would go to the marketplace to trade our flowers for different types of seeds to diversify our garden. But of course, whilst each plant has their own unique way of growing, none of them would have been able to blossom without your blessing of sunlight and rain," Caroline explained, excited to share her knowledge. _

"_I'm very impressed, many men and women twice your age would not have possessed your wisdom. I must insist that you join my court, I would love a garden like yours," Rebekah beamed._

_The expression on Caroline's face was a mixture of disbelief and glee, but it didn't last for long, as she turned to look at her mother. _

"_Lady Rebekah, I-I'm beyond honoured that you would even consider me in your court," she began, "But… But as much as I would love to serve you, I cannot leave my mother-," she said in dismay before she was interrupted._

"_Go," Elizabeth said simply, "You must go"_

"_But Mother"_

"_It's your chance to escape this life. I've always known that you were destined for something beyond this small town. Go, I will be alright," Elizabeth smiled encouragingly, despite how much it hurt her to let her only daughter go. _

_Caroline took one long look at her mother and nodded, "I will visit you all the time," she promised._

_The scene changed one last time and now Elizabeth was all alone. Caroline left three years ago and came to visit as often as she could, but Lady Rebekah's court was massive and required much of her daughter's attention. _

_She had to admit, being alone was more difficult than she could have ever anticipated. She was not getting any younger and soon, the garden work became too arduous for her stiff joints and the flowers were not blooming like they used to. _

_Winter came by and most of them had wilted into the snow. The fire seemed less warm than it had been last winter and her weak body was making it hard for her to collect more wood. She had started coughing over the last few days, but just this morning, the disease had taken a sharp turn as she began to cough up blood. _

_She rested herself on a bed built from hay and reminisced the happiest moments of her life. The ones she spent with Caroline, and slowly, sleep began to take her. _

_Just as she was about to drift off, she heard her voice once again._

"_Mother!" Small, warm hands shook her. But it was too late. She had fallen asleep._

_And she never woke up. _

The image from the orb slowly dissipated until it became black once more. Klaus placed it carefully back into its box and walked over to the balcony, where he sat on a chair looking down below at the girl who had invaded his thoughts since her arrival.

He tried not to empathise with what she must have felt. She had arrived just a moment too late and was unable to say goodbye to the woman who meant most to her in the world. But he reminded himself that he must not grow soft on her, for he was the God of Death, and he cannot let emotions like sympathy and pity cloud his judgment or there would be chaos for both the living and the dead.

But that didn't mean he was able to stop thinking about her.

It was as if though there was a moment of telepathic connection as she looked up and locked eyes with him. Wordlessly, he got on his feet and apparated to where she stood.

"Lord Niklaus," she curtsied politely.

"Good evening, Miss Caroline," he greeted in return, "Please, call me Klaus"

"My Lord, I don't think that is appropri-," she stopped when she saw the look he gave her, "Very well, Klaus," she tested his name on her lips so softly, it almost sounded like a prayer.

"It's rather late, Caroline," he commented.

"I was restless, and your hounds distracted me from sleep. They are very playful"

"Depends on the person they are playing with," he said, with a slight upturn of his lips. He could recall the times his hounds had terrorised the disobedient souls of the Underworld, "Although, you're perhaps the only living soul they have ever seen"

"You're very much alive"

"If only that were true," he said darkly. It was only since her arrival that he realised just how un-alive he felt in his Kingdom. Surrounded by the dead, it was only fair that he became one himself.

They had started to walk deeper and deeper into his garden, where the colours began to fade.

"I do believe we have matters to discuss," he said as they reached an old fountain that was now encased in ivy.

She looked at him expectantly and his metaphorical heart skipped a beat.

"I…," He had been so sure of his decision. It was wrong of him to even consider her bargain, as he had never made any exceptions for the souls in his Kingdom. There was only one way in and no way out, and it had been that way for thousands of years. Should anyone find out his moment of weakness, it would cause chaos.

But the way she stood there with her bright blue eyes and a soft smile, it was like he was the one who could grant her the world, and who was he to resist? Even a God was not powerful enough to turn her away.

"I accept your offer"

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**(A/N)** YES, Klaus has accepted her offer to trade her soul for her mother's. What do you think will happen next? Could Caroline truly be happy in the Underworld? And what will Klaus do about his new-found feelings for Caroline? And what did you think of the flashback?

Please leave a review to feed my muse! Once it's bloated, it will feel well enough to write another chapter haha


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